


Installment One: In Which They Meet

by Parrannnah



Series: Languid Women [1]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, BAMF Natasha Romanov, BAMF Peggy Carter, Bisexual Natasha Romanov, Bisexual Peggy Carter, F/F, Falling In Love, Girl Power, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Power Couple, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, SHIELD, Slow Burn, Stockings, spies in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 18:18:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14141781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parrannnah/pseuds/Parrannnah
Summary: In which Natasha Romanov, Agent of SHIELD and Spy Extraordinaire, meets Peggy Carter, Tactical Genius and International Affairs Whiz, and new SHIELD Recruit.





	1. In Which Natasha Becomes Enamored

**Author's Note:**

> This series is one of my ongoing projects for when I need a creative breather from my long fic(s)! There wasn't enough Nat/Peggy goodness around, IMO. So, I wrote my own. Be the fic you want to see in the world and all that. Mostly unbeta'd (though the wonderful [Bear_shark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bear_shark/pseuds/Bear_shark) gave it a looking-over) so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> The quote that inspired this 'verse below:
> 
> She was one of those languid women, made of dark honey, smooth and sweet, and terribly sticky, who take control of a room with a syrupy gesture, a toss of the hair, a single slow whiplash of the eyes--and all the while remain still as the centre of a hurricane, apparently unaware of the force of gravity by which they irresistibly attract themselves the yearning and the souls of both men and women.  
> \--Patrick Süskind, _Perfume_

Natasha knew from the second she set eyes on Margaret Carter that there was no other woman in the world for her.

Natasha was sitting in a dark corner of Gin Fizz in Harlem, observing the slightly raucous but mostly classy graduation party going on in the middle of the room. Margaret Carter was sat in the middle of the table, surrounded by an assortment of people, all of whom were hanging off her every word. Natasha knew she was an expat, an English transplant who had fallen in love with the city after a study abroad year during her undergrad, and who had returned to get her Masters at Columbia. That degree was exactly why Natasha was in the bar tonight, an envoy sent forth to recruit the best and brightest.

She watched and waited, looking for an opening. She was hoping she could bring Margaret to her, and though it was mostly for privacy's sake regarding the rather clandestine nature of what she’d come to discuss, she couldn’t disregard the entirely selfish reason of not wanting to share the attention of such a singular woman with others.

After thirty minutes, Margaret stood from the table, elegantly tossing her long brown curls over her shoulder and smoothing the line of her skirt from where it had bunched with sitting. Natasha saw a flash of thigh above the thick black band of a stocking through the kick slit in the back of Margaret’s skirt and swallowed thickly. Lord, did she love the contrast between the dark silk and the creamy skin, the seams up the backs of Margaret’s legs causing Natasha’s eyes to wander.

Natasha gave herself a firm mental shake, reminding herself of why she was there. “Get it together, Romanov,” she told herself before rising to her feet and following Carter to the bar.

She managed to slide herself in between the man subtly trying to get as close to Carter as possible where she stood at the corner of the long bar, waiting for the bartender's attention. “Margaret Carter,” Natasha said, trying hard to not purr the words out like she was dying to. This was a professional situation, damn it. She could control herself.

Carter turned to her, brown eyes wide and startled. “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“We haven’t. My name is Natasha Romanov,” she braced a forearm on the bar while keeping her other hand in her pants pocket, glad she’d opted for her tuxedo-inspired suit instead of a dress. “I work for SHIELD.”

Excitement flooded Carter’s features, a flush rising on her cheeks. “ _The_ SHIELD?”

Natasha let her professional smile fade a little into her personal smile, some primal part of herself happy that she’s caused that reaction. “Yes, that SHIELD. You’ve caused quite the stir within certain departments. They’d like to arrange a meeting.”

Margaret reached out and grabbed her arm. Natasha’s skin prickled like she’d been touched by a live wire, all her nerves firing at once. “You’re joking.”

“About work? Never.” She didn’t move Margaret’s hand, not want to lose the connection. God, it had been years since she’d reacted so powerfully to someone so quickly.

“But...why me? Please don’t mistake me,” Margaret tightened her grip on Natasha’s arm, and she tried not to let it show on her face how much she enjoyed that. She would not be ruled by her hormones! “This is everything I’ve worked for. But I always assumed I’d have to work for one of the other agencies for years before I had enough credibility for SHIELD.

The bartender interrupted at that point, and they both paused to order drinks: a whiskey sour for Carter and a vodka martini for Natasha. She used the break in conversation to invite Margaret back to her table to finish their discussion.

“Yes, of course,” she said. “And please, call me Peggy.”

Natasha smiled, trying the name out for herself. “Alright, Peggy.”  She gestured towards her table as the bartender handed them their drinks and Natasha told him to put them on her tab. “Right this way.”

Natasha was not ashamed to admit that the two of them walking back to her table together turned quite a lot of heads. Natasha was good looking, she knew, and had cultivated it for years as part of her work--people always underestimated a pretty face--but Peggy was a work of art. Her skin glowed against the red of her dress,  the satin at the deep ‘V’ of her neckline and the cuffs of her sleeves reflecting the light around them and drawing the eye invitingly, the slim belt highlighting her thin waist and her shoes an identical shade of red to her dress. Long, dark hair curled perfectly to frame her face, and her lipstick, a deep ruby color, made her full lips even more inviting.

Natasha was definitely not distracted.

Eventually, they made it to the table, Natasha gesturing for Peggy to choose a seat before sitting down across from her. As they set their drinks down and settled into their seats, Natasha took the opportunity to scan the bar again, noting exits and crowded spaces that would make for good distractions or difficult escapes. She was quick about it, she knew, a flick of the eyes across the room and her years of training took in what she needed. But as she looked back at Peggy, she knew she’d been spotted, and was inordinately pleased. If Peggy was already noticing such small details, she would breeze through her training, and make an excellent addition to SHIELD. No wonder Hill was so hell-bent on recruiting her.

“Do you always do that?” Peggy asked, leaning back in her seat as she sipped her drink, eyes holding Natasha’s own and sending a shiver down her spine. She was in so much trouble.

“Yes,” Natasha answered honestly. Some things she couldn’t discuss yet, trade secrets and all, but anyone who made their living by violence or subterfuge picked up that particular habit. “You will too if you decide to join SHIELD. You should pick it up anyway. You never know what you’ll notice.” She leaned in across the table, ostensibly to be heard better but mostly because she just wanted to be closer to Peggy. Natasha cut her eyes to the back corner, where a man with dark curly hair shot through with gray was fidgeting with his shirtsleeves. “See him? If he was paying more attention to the room and acting like that, he could be planning a disturbance or an attack--but see how he’s more focused on himself than anyone else? He doesn’t like crowds and just wants to leave. But I bet he’s on a date and doesn’t want to let them know.”

Was she showing off? A little. Was it for a pretty lady? Sure. Was she going to stop? Not on your life.

“Is that the kind of thing you do for SHIELD? Assess slightly sweaty men in dark corners?” Peggy looked up at Natasha from under her lashes, (which was not playing fair!) a smile curling the corner of her mouth. She sat back, slow as molasses and just as sweet, tilting her head slightly to the side and allowing her hair to fall back, exposing the long line of her throat leading to the hint of decolletage peeking from the ‘V’ of her dress.

It was occurring to Natasha that in Margaret Carter, she may have met her match.

“Among other things, yes. I’m trained to monitor all kinds of situations without seeming to. You can’t be effective if you don’t know what’s going on around you. Sometimes it’s even a matter of life and death.”

Sitting back and sipping her own drink, Natasha crossed her legs at the knee, the silk blend of her trousers sliding decadently against her skin. She was a master of controlling her expression so she wasn’t worried about Peggy noticing her attempts to get herself back in control of the situation.

At least, she was mostly not worried. Peggy had surprised her already, and she wasn’t about to underestimate a pretty face when she knew that particular trick so well.

“So why me? You never did answer.”

Natasha took the appropriate amount of time to pause and consider her answer. Truthfully, she very rarely did the recruiting--they had a whole division for that, after all. But Director Hill had asked her specifically to sell Peggy on SHIELD, and Natasha had to assume it was for a good reason, so she let her instinct guide her. On paper, Peggy came off like someone who appreciated knowing where she stood, and from the education she’d pursued and things she had accomplished, she was the type to appreciate being judged on her merits and qualifications before all else.

“You’ve been top of your class, in every class, since First Form. You have attended every Model UN and Global Politics-related event you could find and get involved in, and some you couldn’t. You attended Cambridge, but were accepted to twelve different universities between the UK and the US, and received two Honours degrees--one in Human, Social, and Political Science and one in Economics. You not only completed both degrees simultaneously, you also held internships every summer within the government at the highest levels available to you.” She took a moment to make serious eye contact with Peggy, who looked shocked by the level of Natasha’s knowledge but only just. Most of this was public record, after all.

“After graduation, you accepted a position within the office of the  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, completing three years of employment to bring your total time spent in employment or internships to four, the recommended number by Columbia University’s Master of International Affairs program, from which you have just graduated with Distinction. Also, you took extra courses in military strategy and history while at Columbia, but I assume that was more personal interest than professional. It will definitely be an asset when you join SHIELD, though.” Natasha sipped her drink again, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs. “Did I miss anything?”

“N-no,” Peggy stuttered, eyes glued to Natasha’s legs. Hmm. Interesting.

“Well. Then I think it should be obvious why we want you so badly. You are the best at everything, Peggy. And we only want the best.” Never one to ignore the perfect moment for a well-timed dramatic exit, Natasha finished her drink and reached into her suit jacket, taking a card from the interior pocket and placing it on the table in front of Peggy. “Excellent. Please take time to think about this, and call us when you’re ready. We look forward to hearing from you.”

Natasha got to her feet, buttoning her jacket and allowing herself to settle into her heels again after sitting for so long. Peggy’s eyes traveled slowly up her body before landing on her face. “How long do I have?”

Natasha smiled, her real one, as she answered. “As long as you need. We’re not going anywhere, Ms. Carter. Have a good night. And congratulations again. It really is quite the accomplishment.”

She nodded once before turning and walking slowly to the front door. She swore she could feel Peggy’s eyes on her the whole way.

This was going to be fun.


	2. In Which Peggy Joins SHIELD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series is one of my ongoing projects for when I need a creative breather from my long fic(s)! There wasn't enough Nat/Peggy goodness around, IMO. So, I wrote my own. Be the fic you want to see in the world and all that. Mostly unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> The quote that inspired this 'verse below:
> 
> She was one of those languid women, made of dark honey, smooth and sweet, and terribly sticky, who take control of a room with a syrupy gesture, a toss of the hair, a single slow whiplash of the eyes--and all the while remain still as the centre of a hurricane, apparently unaware of the force of gravity by which they irresistibly attract themselves the yearning and the souls of both men and women.  
> \--Peter Selskind, _Perfume_

As much as she would love to take credit for it, seeing Peggy Carter in the lobby of SHIELD was not something Natasha had planned.

As it happened, Strike Team Delta was headed to lunch. Clint had found a ramen place in some back alley and swore up and down it was the best food he’d ever eaten. James remained skeptical, which was reasonable since just about every food Clint tried was the best food he’d ever eaten but Natasha, for her part, was willing to eat almost anything Clint recommended based on experience. He hadn’t steered her wrong so far.

The three of them were walking across the SHIELD emblem in the middle of the floor (that was honestly a little ostentatious) when Natasha caught sight of her.

Today Peggy was dressed in a sapphire blue skirt suit that was tailored to perfection, the blue seams her stockings a perfect match as they ran up the backs of her legs, and Natasha wanted badly to find out just how many colors of them she had. Peggy’s lips were red again, and Natasha hoped that she never wore any other color because it was perfect on her. God, but she was beautiful.

Peggy was standing at the desk at the far end of the lobby and must be here for her formal interview. The thought of seeing her every day was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. It had been a long time since Natasha had been this affected by someone, and it scared her a little bit. Emotions made you vulnerable, and in her line of work, they were often seen as the greatest weakness.

She didn’t realize she had changed directions until someone grabbed her arm. Years of training being what it was, she was balanced to strike out before she fully turned around. Luckily she processed who had grabbed her before she did anything.

“What’s gotten into you?” He asked, confusion all over his face. She could see James over Clint’s shoulder, crooked smirk telling Natasha he knew exactly what had gotten into her. She saw him start to walk towards Peggy and narrowed her eyes at his back. What was he doing?

He reached Peggy quickly, for all he was sauntering across the lobby, straightening the cuffs of his shirt as he went. Natasha managed to pull her arm out of Clint’s grasp, striding off after James and leaving Clint gawping behind her. She saw James pull out his million-dollar smile as he took the space to Peggy’s left at the high counter around the desk, and tried desperately to not sprint over to them.

“Afternoon,” he said, which, _really_?

Peggy turned to him, her face blank in the way that women perfect early on to dissuade over-eager men. Natasha could see James falter a little, which she wasn’t even a little sorry about, but then he rallied admirably. He stuck his hand out for a shake. “I’m James. It’s nice to meet you…?”

His trail-off was audible, clearly trying to get a name from Peggy. She shook his hand briefly. “Yes. Quite.”

By this time, Natasha had made it over to the two of them and had come up behind James’s shoulder, a warm, some might even say _heated_ smile on her face as she met Peggy’s gaze.“Hello, Ms. Carter.”

Peggy’s answering smile sparked every nerve in Natasha’s body. “Hello, Agent Romanov.”

“Natasha, please. I see you accepted our offer?” Natasha was slowly edging her way around James, who had the good sense to get out of the way, feeling herself being pulled forward like she was a magnet and Peggy was True North.

Peggy nodded slowly, biting her lower lip gently and never taking her eyes off Natasha. “In the process of. I’m waiting for Ms. Hill, I believe.”

“So you’ll be working with us then? Hopefully, we can get to know each other better.” James was still trying, bless him, but from the way both women ignored him it was useless. Clint had made it over to the little group by then, snacking on a bag of banana chips he’d pulled out of somewhere. Natasha quirked an eyebrow at him to let him know she saw him but kept her focus on Peggy.

“Dude, stop,” she heard him say to James. “Can’t you see there’s no point?”

“I’m invisible. I’ve turned into you.”

Both Peggy and Natasha cracked a smile at that but kept them small so as not to ruin the game.

“I’m glad you decided to give us a shot,” Natasha told her, stepping closer, closing the distance. She felt underdressed next to Peggy in her sharp suit, something that hardly ever happened to her, but was true nonetheless. “You look wonderful, by the way. The blue suits you.”

Peggy flushed gently, English roses blooming in her cheeks. “Thank you, Natasha.”

“Margaret Carter?”

They both jumped slightly, not having heard the door open, too lost in each other. Natasha looked up and saw Maria standing in the doorway behind Peggy with a smirk on her face. Shit. Between Maria, Clint, and James, she was never going to hear the end of it.

Peggy turned around, glance lingering on Natasha as long as she could manage. “Yes, I’m Margaret,” Peggy answered.

“This way, please.” Maria gestured into the conference room behind her, and Peggy gathered her attache case from where it had been set on the chairs, the brown leather soft and supple looking. She didn’t look back as she strode over to Maria, shaking her hand firmly before walking into the room.

Natasha watched her leave and heard Clint and James walk up and flank her. No one said anything until the door clicked shut, but then Clint let out a long, low whistle.

“God _damn_ ,” James said fervently. “That is one hell of a woman.”

“That she is,” Natasha agreed.

Clint smacked her arm, earning him a disgruntled noise as she looked at him, rubbing her bicep. “What the hell!”

“Why have I never heard of this Peggy Carter?” Clint had his hands on his hips, grumpy face firmly in place.

“Why should you have?” If Clint was going to be pushy, she was going to be stubborn, damnit.

He flung his arms skyward and turned to look at James. “Why should I have, she says. Like she didn’t just charge across the lobby like Peggy was an ice cold glass of water and Nat here was dying of thirst.” Clint turned back around dramatically. “Because,” he drew the word out to twice its length, “you. Are. Enamored,” He stated, poking his finger into her chest for emphasis.

Natasha risked a glance at James, hoping to see disagreement with Clint’s veritable accusation, but instead, all she saw was crossed arms and slow nodding in clear concurrence.

Clint shook his head in sympathy before clapping his hand on her shoulder. “She’s working here now, huh?

“Seems to be.”

“You are so fucked.”

\--

Natasha didn’t really see Peggy again for three weeks. She had caught a glimpse of her the day after seeing her in the lobby, knowing that no one else would be walking down the halls of HR in stocking seams matched perfectly to her royal purple skirt, but had lost sight of her as she turned into an office, presumably finishing up the required tentative pre-employment forms before she went for all the physical and psychological evaluations. She allowed herself a moment of silent appreciation for the wondrous curves on such a remarkable woman before turning away, fighting down her instinct to go after something she wanted with everything she had. Peggy Carter confused every instinct she had, her normally smooth self constantly on the back foot in both encounters so far. Surely if she didn’t actively seek her out, this intense _need_ to be around her would fade?

It absolutely did _not_ fade.

It was the last Friday of the month, and she was walking to the conference room with Clint, coffee in hand. End-of-the-month meetings were mandatory and usually extra boring, but there was always a great selection of breakfast pastries available so they balanced out. They both found James holding up a wall at the back of the room and took the space next to him, chatting amicably until Maria walked into the room and glared them all into silence.

“Right. Good morning, Agents-”

“Good morning, Director Hill,” the three of them chorused back, this time joined by more than half the room. They’d started it months ago, continuing in the long tradition of schoolchildren everywhere, and Maria hated it. They’d been alone for a long time, but recently more and more people had started to pipe up.

“Damnit, Delta, _why_?” Maria huffed her irritation and got back settling herself at the podium. “Alright, everyone,” she said, sparing a glare for Delta, “we’ve got the usual stuff to go over today so the faster you settle in, the faster we get through this. Please, for the love of God, save all questions for the end.”

Content to drink her coffee and work steadily through the absolute mountain of danishes Clint and James had cobbled together between them, Natasha let most of what was said wash over her. She was brought back to the present moment with a jolt when she heard Maria say, “One final thing. As of yesterday we officially have a new Trainee Agent.” Natasha’s head snapped up from where she’d been surreptitiously checking her texts (though _why_ , when her two most frequently texted people were standing next to her), eyes drawn like a magnet to the front of the room. “Agents, please welcome Peggy Carter to SHIELD.”

There was a polite smattering of applause from everyone, more perfunctory than anything else, but there nonetheless. Peggy, today in a yellow skirt that flowed prettily around her and a midnight blue blouse, stood from where she’d been seated at the front of the room and smiled that million-watt smile around the room, confidence and competence radiating from her. She gave a brisk nod, first to the crowd and then Maria, and then sat again, disappearing from view behind the sea of people standing in front of Natasha.

“Hot damn,” Natasha heard from her right, where Bravo had been standing when last she checked. She glanced over, and yup, still the biggest bunch of assholes she’d ever met. Rumlow elbowed Rollins in the side and jerked his head toward the front, and presumably Peggy. “Fifty bucks says I can close the deal before her probation is up.” Natasha’s teeth clenched, the throb of immense irritation starting up behind her eyes as it always did in such close proximity to this much misogyny.

Rollins laughed darkly, and Natasha felt Clint tense beside her. Neither he nor James liked Bravo, either, and he must have picked up on the trouble coming from them, even if he hadn’t heard Rumlow’s original sentence.

Maria, who had been saying something to Peggy, straightened up. “Alright, people, you know the drill. The fresh meat needs a Strike Team to train her--any volunteers?”

Natasha’s had was up before Maria even finished speaking.

“We’ll take her!”

Every head in the place turned towards her, most in shock, since Delta had never, ever, taken a new agent before. But Natasha only had eyes for the woman at the front of the room, and that brilliant smile.

Clint was right. She was so fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come hang out with me on [Tumblr!](https://kat-atomic.tumblr.com/)  
> Comments/Kudos give me life!

**Author's Note:**

> Come hang out with me on [Tumblr!](https://kat-atomic.tumblr.com/)  
> EDIT: I’m now on [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/KatAtomic2/)Things are weird and wonderful over on Fandom Twitter so come hang out!


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